The present invention relates generally to restraining garments used to inhibit bodily motion of a wearer while in a bed, chair, transportable table, or other supporting structure. Garments similar to the present article of clothing have previously been provided to assist ill or injured individuals to remain on a supporting structure such as a bed. Such garments also have proven useful to some degree to prevent "unreliable" patients, such as young children, from leaving a bed or from moving in a fashion which would disrupt or render ineffective certain modes of treatment such as traction of a limb. In many such situations, injury to the patient can occur if certain movements are not restricted. These prior garments have included tubular restraint jackets which are difficult to fit over the head and arms of a wearer, especially when the movement of an arm is restricted due to a particular treatment modality. Prior restraint garments having open sides which facilitate placement of the garment on the wearer have also been proposed. However, no such garments of either type have been previously provided which are capable of restricting both transverse and longitudinal movements, relative to the bed or other supporting structure, of a wearer.
Restraint garments previously disclosed in the art and which are indicative of the background of the invention are described in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,573,446 Popham Feb. 16, 1926, 2,521,175 Kruse Sept. 5, 1950, 3,181,530 Storey May 4, 1965, 3,616,464 Whitter Nov. 2, 1971, 3,742,945 Reinhardt July 3, 1973, 3,788,309 Zeilman Jan. 29, 1974.
The present invention comprises a restraint garment formed basically of a one-piece panel structure which can be completely disposed around the upper torso of the body of a wearer. The one-piece panel structure is provided with an aperture located centrally of the structure which is of sufficient size to receive the head and neck of a wearer therethrough. On passage of the head and neck through the aperture, major portion of the panel structure lying adjacent the aperture and to the front and rear of the body of the wearer are draped respectively over the anterior and posterior portions of the torso. Lower portions of the panel structure overlying the waist of the wearer are fastened together to form a jacket-like encasement about the torso, the arms of the wearer fitting in arm holes formed on connection of the lower portions of the garment together. Straps connected to the upper portion of the garment near the neck of the wearer and extending longitudinally of the body of the wearer and to restrain movement longitudinally of the bed or other supporting structure. A separate set of straps is connected to the garment near the lower portion thereof and on the posterior surface thereof, the straps extending transversely of the body of a wearer to restrain movement of a sidewise nature. Both sets of straps connect to rails or other portions of the bed to hold the wearer under restraint.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a restraining garment, the body of which is of uniform construction and which completely surrounds the upper torso of a wearer, the garment being adjustable to fit the contours of the wearer after placement on the wearer.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a motion-inhibiting garment for securing a child or medical patient to a bed or the like, whereby the garment can be draped over the body of the wearer and wrapped thereabout to form a jacket-like restraining garment with minimum disturbance to the limbs of the wearer.
It is another object of the invention to provide a restraint garment capable of inhibiting both longitudinal and transverse motion of a wearer, relative to a bed or other supporting structure, and wherein tensions on the garment are substantially accommodated without transference thereof to the body of the wearer.
These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.